John almond



' June 18, 1929. J. ALMOND HARNESS MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed May 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

Invenror. John. Almond cu byM Mam At iys.

June 18, 1929.

J. ALMOND HARNESS MOTION FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1928 Inventor. John Almond Patented June 18, 1929. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ALMOND, OF METHUEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

HARNESS MOTION FOR LOOMS.

Application filed May 9, 1928. Serial No. 276,471.

This invention relates to a harness motion tion of further frames simply requires the or shed forming mechanism for looms. addition of corresponding connections, levers The obj cct of the invention is to provide a and cams. Preferably, the harness frames simple and compact form of mechanism for are arranged in pairs, one such pair be- 5 operating two or more harness frames entirelng shown. Suitable suspending connecly lo at d i id the loom frame between one tions from the arch of the loom frame to of the sid fram memb r and th center of the harness frames are provided, but prefthe loom and beneath the harness frames. erably these suspending connections are The object of the invention is further to also arranged in pairs with one member exno provide suchv a shed forming mechanism in tending from one harness frame to the loom which the levers for operating the harness frame and the other member back from the frames have their arms connected to the loom fame to the other harness frame to perframes by flexible connectors and extending nit the vertical movement of the harness vertically so that the swinging motion of the frames in reverse phase. Thus the harness 65 lev r a d a y adj t t; 1 th connectors frames 6 and? near each end have suspending to the levers take place without interfering connections comprising a flexible member 8 with the vertical rectilinear movement of the ched at its lower end by a hook 9 to the ha n s fram frame 6 and at its upper end connected to a These and other objects and. features of drum on the shaft 10 journalled at 11 on the 70 th in nti ill appear more f ll from th arch 3 and comprising a flexible member 12 accompanying description and drawings and attached at its lower end by a hook 13 to the will be particularly pointed out in the claims. frame 7 and at its upper end connected to an- The drawings illustrate only so much of other drum 011 the shaft 10. The connections an ordinary type of loom as is necessary to 8 and 12 extend in opposite directions around 7 disclose a preferred embodiment of the inthe respective drums. Consequently as one vention and the essential location of such harness frame rises or falls, the other harness an embodiment i the 1 m, frame falls or rises in alternation therewith In the drawings: The harness frames are arranged in verti- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of cal parallelism, preferably in pairs, and any 80 the 100111 frame and arch showing a pair of n m er as required by the weave.

harness frames and a mechanism embodying The harness frames are operated from bethe invention. neath in this invention and the mechanism Fig. 2 is a top plan View on a larger scale for thus operating the harness frames is loof the mechanism for operating the harness cated entirely insideof the loom frame be 85 frames and the adjacent portion of the loom tween one side frame member, such as l, and frame. the center of the loom. Thus the operating The invention is applicable to any type mechanism for effecting the shedding motion of loom wherein two or more harness frames is ar angcd very compactly and entirely withare employed and where the weave to be made in the confines of the loom frame. 99 is such that the harness frames may be op- In the preferred construction illustrated, eratcd after the manner of the ordinary cam an auxiliary framework for supporting the type of shed forming mechanism. operating mechanism is secured to or built A portion of a loom frame is shown cominto the loom frame. F or this purpose an prising the side frame members 1 and 2 and angle iron let is secured to the loom frame and 45 the arch The usual cam shaft 4 is shown extends fore and aft between the lower extending between the side frame members girders, one of which is shown at 15. A and carrying, in Fig. 1, the pick cam 5. wooden block 16 is bolted at 17 to the top Any required number of harness frames of this angle iron. A bracket 18 is bolted it may be employed that can be operated with 19 to the leftdrand side of the block 16 and this type of mechanism. It is sufficient to presents at each end depending arms 20 sup illustrate two such frames because the addiporting a shaft .521. on which is l ted be neath the center of the harness frames a plurality of idler pulleys 22. These pulleys constitute deflecting means for the flexible connections extending to the bottom of the harness frames.

Frame bars 23 rest at one end upon the angle iron 14- and extend therefrom in parallelism to the side frame 1 of the loom and are secured thereto by bolts 24. frame bars are braced longitudinally of the loom by sleeves 25 clamped up by bolts 26 extending theretln-ough. Upstanding brackets 27 are secured by the bolts 28 to the frame bars 23 near the center thereof and carry at their upper ends a shaft 29 extending beneath. and at right angles to the harness frames. required plurality of operating levers, one for each harness frame. In the preferred form of the invention, each lever is of the bell crank type having one arm 30 extending vertically downward from the fulcrum and the other rm 31 extending laterally from the fulcrum. But the essential feature is that the arm of the lever which is connected to the corresponding harness frame shall extend substantially vertically from its fulcrum and shall swing in a plane parallel with and beneath the harness frames. This operating arm 30 is provided. along its edge with notches 32 by means of which the connection to the harness frame may be adjusted to vary the throw of the harness frame. Each connec tion from the lever to the corresponding harness frame is shown as a flexible connector including a link 33 engaging one of the notches 32 at one end, a belt or strap 34 extending from the other end of the link 33 around the corresponding idler pulley 22 to a hook 35 and strap 36 connected to a bar 37 in turn connected to the bottom of the corresponding harness frame.

It will thus be seen that no matter what notch 32 may be engaged by the flexible connector, and no matter what may be the swing of the lever 30, the movement of the harness frame will always be vertical and rectilinear.

Suitable means are provided for operating the levers, but these means are located between the side frame member, 7 such as 1, of the loom and the center of the loom and beneath the harness frames. In the preferred form of the invention, a cam mechanism such as illustrated is employed. For this purpose a shaft 38 is journalled in bear ings in the brackets 27 extending parallel with the fulcrum shaft 29. Upon this shaft are secured a plurality of cams 39, one for each lever 30. In the preferred construction the cam shaft 38 is beneath the lateral arms 31 of the levers and the cams are of substantially.

These Upon this shaft is fulcrumed the.

38 is shown as carrying at one end a gear 40 inter-meshing with a gear fl ona parallel shaft 42 journallcd in a bracket 43 upstanding from and supported by the bracket 27. This shaft 42 carries at its opposite end a bevelled gear 4L4; meshing with and driven by a bevelled pinion as secured to the cam shaft 4.

The operation of the mechanism will be apparent. The rotation of the main cam shaft 4 is imparted to the cam shaft 38, thus rotating the cams 39 which in turn operate the levers 30 to eflfect the required shedding motion. Preferably, as shown, the levers and harness frames are arranged in pairs, but any desired grouping of the harness frames and levers and of the cams and any desired configuration of the cams may be employed. 1

It will be seen that the entire mechanism is located and operates between one side frame member of the loom and the center of the loom and beneath the harness frames, and that the levers are arranged parallel with the respective harness frames and are fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames, and that one arm of each lever extends vertically, and preferably downward, from its fulcrum. There is thus produced a very simple, compact and eflicient mechanism for operating the harness frames. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a pair of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom frame, a pair of levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, a cam shaft parallel with the fulcrum axis, a pair of cams onsaid shaft co-acting respectively with the levers, and means for rotating the cam shaft thereby to effect the required shedding motion. 7

2. In a loomhaving a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a pair of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the har-e ness frames to the loom frame, a pair of levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames'and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, and means located between said side frame member and the center of the loom beneath the harness frames for operating the levers in alternation to effect the shedding motion.

3. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a pair of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom frame, a pair of bell crank levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically downward and the other arm extending laterally from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each liar- .ncss frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, a cam shaft parallel with the fulcrum axis, a pair of cams on said shaft co-acting respectively with the lateral arms of the levers, and means for rotating the cam shaft thereby to efiect the required shedding motion.

4. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a pair of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom frame, a pair of bell crank levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically downward and the other arm extending laterally from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, and means located between said side fran'ie member and the center of the loom beneath the harness frames engaging the lateral arms of the levers and operating the levers in alternation to effect the shedding motion.

5. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a plurality of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom, a plurality of levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, a cam shaft parallel with the fulcrum axis, a plurality of cams on said shaft co-acting respectively with the lovers, and means for rotating the cam shaft thereby to effect the required shedding motion.

6. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a plurality of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom, a plurality of levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical arm of the corresponding lever, and means located between said side frame member and the center of the loom beneath the harness frames for operating the levers to effect the, required shedding motion.

7. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a plurality of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom, a plurality of bell crank levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically downward and the other arm extending laterally from the fulcrum, deflecting means beneath the harness frames, a flexible connector extending from each harness frame down around the deflecting means to the vertical. arm of the corresponding lever, a cam shaft parallel with the fulcrum axis, a plurality of cams on said shaft co-acting respectively with the lateral arms of the levers, and means for rotating the cam shaft thereby to effect the required shedding motion.

8. In a loom having a frame with side members, shed forming mechanism comprising a plurality of parallel vertically movable harness frames, suspending connections from the harness frames to the loom, a plurality of bell crank levers located and operating between one side frame member and the center of the loom beneath and parallel with the respective harness frames and fulcrumed on an axis extending beneath and at right angles to the harness frames with one arm of each lever extending vertically downward and the other arm extending laterally from the ful crum, deflecting means beneath the harness ing the lateral arms of the levers and operatframes, a flexible connector extending from ing the levers in alternation to effect the shedeach harness frame down around the deflectding motion. 10 ing means to the vertical arm of the corre- In testimony'whereof, I have signed my sponding lever, and means located between name to this specification.

said side frame member and the center of the 100m beneath the harness frames engag- JOHN ALMOND. 

